


The Lords of Woe

by sisterxmorphine



Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: AU, mild horror themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-06-22 06:35:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19661818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sisterxmorphine/pseuds/sisterxmorphine
Summary: The story of the Emeritus bloodline begins, years before their rise. Even before their birth. The tale of the bastard heirs of Papa Nihil lies with the fate of a maiden of light, who will be forever called to darkness.





	1. Can You Feel The Thunder?

Dark clouds crowded the spring sky, a storm was coming. Dahlia stood behind the counter at the quaint floral shop in which she worked. She watched the clouds form through the windows, caught up in the building menace that swirled in the skies. There was something so enchanting and comforting about the storms. Even though she had a bright, sunny demeanor, she found something she loved within the darkness. She lost herself in her thoughts as she gazed into the oncoming storm.

Most would take shelter from the storm, but Dahlia loved to dance beneath the cascade. She felt that it brought her closer to the world around her, she was the definition of a nature loving, flower child through and through. She felt that it was what she was meant to be, no one questioned it, but they still sometimes called her and her undying fascination with it strange. She called it destiny, to be exactly where she was meant to be, surrounded by endless beautiful flowers. The young woman gave an aura of something so gentle yet so strong, so peculiar, so caring, so innocent. Though some would call her childish, naive, idiotic, she paid no attention to that and lived in a way that made  _ her  _ happy and did not care about the plight of such rude strangers.

The sound of the bell chiming at the door alerted her that someone had just entered the shop and had brought her back down to earth. Dahlia put a smile on her face as she met the customer’s gaze. The woman before her stood tall, at least taller than Dahlia, slim, and dressed in a tasteful black outfit with her blonde hair neatly pulled into a sleek ponytail. Dahlia was drawn into her eyes, taken aback by her. There was an allure to her, and something about the woman had a mystique that really drew her in and barely loosened her grip on her to let her fall back into reality. It distracted her, keeping her from hearing the words that the woman had spoken.

“Pardon me, it’s been an awfully long day,” Dahlia said while shaking her head and giving the other an awkward smile that was attempting to be sincere, “What was it you said?”

“It’s quite alright,” the blonde said cooly, “I was wondering if you had any white roses?”

“Oh, yes! Of course, ma’am.”

“I’d like to purchase a bouquet of thirteen, please.”

“Okay, give me a moment…” Dahlia replied with a quick nod, her voice trailing off as she went to work to create the requested bouquet. She gathered the flowers, and the paper and cellophane to wrap them. The young woman began to neatly arrange the flowers before her finger slid across a thorn, slicing open the skin and drawing out the deep red blood from within.

“ _ Ouch!”  _ Dahlia sharply said beneath her breath as she grasped the finger with her other hand, but not before a few drops fell to the paper and a few of the roses below. “I’m so sorry, just give me a moment and I’ll start over.”

“Don’t worry about that, dear, it doesn’t bother me,” the woman said, “Who knows, I might have cut myself on that if you didn’t.”

“But-”

“A simple mishap couldn’t take away the beauty of the flower,” the blonde said so calmly that it was eerie. Others would have been annoyed or appalled, as that seemed the normal reaction.

Dahlia nodded along, dropping her head as her head as her dark, wavy tresses moved with the motion. Even if the woman had said it was fine, she still felt bad about ruining a perfectly good arrangement. Once the bleeding had stopped she looked back to the woman before finishing the bouquet and tying it off with a black ribbon, the one of the woman’s choice. The woman paid more than the cost Dahlia had stated, even though Dahlia had insisted she pay less do to her clumsiness. The woman looked into Dahlia’s eyes for what felt like forever, drawing her away from everything in the world for that short time. Then she turned and was off, leaving the shop and heading out into the now pouring rain. Yet it still felt like she lingered, something about her was so  _ strange. Intriguing. Mysterious. _

For the rest of the day Dahlia couldn’t stop thinking about her, having been so  _ entranced _ by her. Sure, she had found that she did have some attraction to other women, but this felt like something completely different. The situation was odd, but she told herself that she was just being weird about the whole thing.

The sun wasn’t visible, but it would be setting soon and this meant time for her to close and finally go home. Her coworkers had left earlier in the day, leaving these duties to her alone. She finished up her day, turning out the lights and locking everything up before she left. Dahlia let out a soft sigh as she finally left the place and locked the door. The clouds still in the sky made it feel like it was the middle of the night. It was dread inducing, but she went on ignoring the natural fear that tried to rise within her. She pulled the hood of her coat over her head as she began to walk. Unfortunately, she had to walk home in this weather. The empty streets would have otherwise been a blessing, but they were too quiet and too haunting this time. She held her arms around her, fighting off the chill that the storm brought. 

Dahlia listened to the song that the rain drops played as they collided with the pavement and the puddles around and the sound of her shoes softly echoing with that. She kept her head down, looking around the empty streets and sidewalks every now and again. 

The sound of other footsteps echoing made her stop, looking for where they might be coming from. Whispers seemed to dance around her and in her head, voices beckoning her to the darkness around her. She couldn’t pinpoint it, she didn’t see a single soul anywhere around her. From there on she kept walking, a little faster than before. Her heart began to beat faster too, wanting to get home as soon as she could.

When she arrived at the large rooming house where she was resident and the feeling of dread disappeared as she found safety in its familiar halls. Exhaustedly she made her way to her living space, entering the dark room that brought another bout of anxiety to her. But she was safe, no one followed her, no one was waiting for her. Dahlia made the conclusion that she was just paranoid and tired. Sleep came easy even with her fear and paranoia filling her head.

The next day felt normal when she awoke, but she was mistaken. As she carried on about her day she noticed things getting stranger and stranger. She didn’t want to let paranoia take hold of her once more but she could not fight it. In the corners of her vision she watched shadows move in, getting the feeling that they were coming for her. Dahlia felt as if she was being watched by an unseen force in the room. Nowhere she went freed her of this feeling. There was nowhere she went where she felt alone, her sense of security had completely vanished.

When people would approach her, she cowered and felt the need to run. She felt fear whenever anyone came near. Even those she worked with and those she lived with made her fear for her life. This was unlike her and it was driving her to the brink of madness. Everyone around her was beginning to worry, she gave them only a few words to brush them off and deny anything bad. Dahlia wanted to know what she was going through first before she told anyone as to not burden them with her problems. She chose to suffer alone.

She didn’t sleep that first night, sitting upon her bed as she hugged her knees to her chest and keeping her eyes on the door and window of her bedroom. She kept a light on as well, not wanting to succumb to total darkness. She watched as the night turned to day, time felt neither fast nor slow. Dahlia wasn’t sure she even felt anything normal at this point.

The next day was even worse when the lack of sleep was factored in. More cowering, more hidden eyes watching her every move, more approaching darkness.

The only difference this day held was sleep. When she came home, no fear could overpower her exhaustion. Dahlia fell into a deep sleep that night with no protest.

Sleep did not offer any comfort, her mind only played with her even more. She dreamt of being alone in a room, not her own though. It was empty and dark, there was white light shining on her and nothing more. She stood alone for what felt like hours as she heard whispers turn into shouts, all calling her name. 

In the darkness she saw a figure approach her, their silhouette cloaked in the blackness of the void that surrounded her. The figure had one, brilliant, glowing white eye. The eye bore deep into her, invading her mind and soul. She was transfixed on it as it was on her. She saw no other details that would tell her who this was, it was too difficult to focus on them to do so. It was as if they were keeping her from doing anything else besides stand still. This lasted forever, the voices around her chanting something foreign in a dark manner. They soon went silent before a skeletal hand reached into the light where Dahlia stood. She watched as it neared her chest, then it quickly dug deep into her like the claws of a beast. From her chest it ripped her heart, the blood coating the clean white digits. 

Dahlia woke in a cold sweat, sitting straight up in bed. She raised a hand to feel her chest to make sure her heart was still there and beating. And it still carried its life, beating rapidly as she tried all she could to come down from the fright of the nightmare and return to normal. Little did she know, nothing would be normal anymore.

Three days after it had all started, it stopped. Everything felt fine once more, Dahlia wasn’t afraid anymore and had lightened spirits once again. She was able to keep herself composed despite feeling as though something was constantly after her, she endured. She appeared more joyful to others, smiling wide at others even brighter and more warming than before. But that smile would soon fade.

As Dahlia returned home on the third day, she expected nothing out of the ordinary since she told herself she was just making herself crazy thinking about what happened days before. She entered her place and her heart began to race. She leaned against her closed door as she stared at the center of the room where a vase of red roses sat upon a table. Her eyes scanned the room, no one else seemed to be in the room with her. When she worked up the courage she stepped forward toward the flowers, there was no note but just a simple black ribbon tied around the glass vase. The roses were thirteen in number, but she didn’t think to count. She couldn’t muster any coherent thoughts that were not of sheer terror at all. Her shaking hand rose to examine them, as if she were guided like a puppet by some other being in the room. Dahlia leaned in, taking in the sweet smell of the flowers, her head immediately felt light. The room around her began to blur, the shadows in the room coalesced into faceless forms. They closed in on her, slithering to her like snakes after their prey, as she fell to a heap on the ground with her vision going black as her body went cold and her grip on the waking world was lost.

Later she awoke with a throbbing pain in her head, closing her eyes almost immediately after opening them to fight the growing pain she felt when exposed to the light. Her hand rose to her face, massaging her temples. Dahlia stayed quiet on the cold ground as she tried to regain her senses. She finally opened her eyes, finding herself in a room lit with too many candles to count. Even with all the heat of flames around her she still felt a terrible chill creep across her spine. Her eyes darted around the room as she examined where she really was. It looked like some sort of dungeon that she might have seen in a horror film, but the feeling of it was oddly not completely threatening. She didn’t know if she preferred it like this or if she would have rather felt some deeper fear, finding even a semblance of comfort at this moment like this was more off putting.

There were sounds of a conversation on the other side of the large wooden door though she couldn’t make out a word that was being said. Dahlia backed into a corner of the room and her eyes frantically searched for something to use as a weapon in defense. She never really wanted to hurt anyone, but at this moment, she had no choice but to do whatever she could to protect herself. Her eyes trailed up to the candles that decorated the wall. She could use that, she didn’t know how much good it would do her but it was something. Just as she was preparing to stand and pry it from its metal holder, the heavy wooden door opened with a loud creak and she cowered back into the corner.

“I promise I’m not going to hurt you,” the voice of a cloaked figure whom had just entered spoke. The figure moved closer, but kept a safe distance from Dahlia. They knelt down and continued to look in her direction. Their face was hidden in shadow, but Dahlia’s mind suddenly raced against the ache to think of why that voice was so familiar. 

Just as she had her moment of realization, the figure pulled away their hood to confirm it. Dahlia looked into the eyes of the woman who had earlier visited her at the shop and felt nothing but betrayal and vulnerability. Though she had no clue about this woman, she always wanted to assume the best about everyone and this completely tarnished that. 

Tears welled in her eyes, feeling helpless. She was a victim of some sick game, she was targeted and for what? They’d kill her for sure.

The blonde leaned in, her hand outstretched towards Dahlia. She cowered even more to avoid whatever the other was trying to do but she had no place to escape. She did not expect the woman to dry her tears gently with the pad of her thumb.

“Someone as delicate as you shouldn’t cry like such. I promised I wouldn't hurt you, and I will not. You give me no reason to do so,” the blonde’s voice was soothing and soft.

“Why are you doing this? What are you doing?” Dahlia choked out, her throat tight as she tried to keep her composure.

“There’s no one out there quite like you, and we need someone that special. We’ve searched and searched, and you’re the only one we’d have the honor of giving this opportunity.”

“But for what-”

“It doesn’t matter right now. You need your rest, let me take you somewhere far more comfortable.”

Dahlia was certain she was about to be killed, taken from the mortal world in some sick and twisted way.  _ Following her would surely mean death _ , she thought. Though somewhere in her heart there was an urge to trust the woman, cursed be her clemency.

The blonde woman slowly stood up and held out her hand out, waiting for Dahlia to take it. Dahlia hesitated but she knew she had to follow that feeling, something told her that it was the right thing for her to do. So she reached up, taking the woman’s hand as the woman helped her to her feet. Dahlia felt dizzy as she stood, almost falling into the woman’s arms but quickly balanced herself. The woman led Dahlia forward and out the door before she was beside her and interlocking their arms. Probably to make sure Dahlia didn’t try to escape from wherever this place was, the smaller woman thought as the other stood tall next to her. 

They were both silent as they traversed the halls that bore no light besides beams that poured from the moon and into the windows. Dahlia’s heart beat fast, wondering if she was just being led to her demise because she was stupid enough to trust her captor. 

Soon the pair found themselves at a door, the blonde pushed it open to reveal a small room. The woman led Dahlia in and made her way to an oil lamp to light the room. Dahlia scanned the room, noticing a bed and other pieces of furniture that were most definitely some type of antique. There wasn’t much else to the room, besides a small window that would be too high and too small for Dahlia to even think about escaping through.

“You’ll stay here for the night, in the morning I’ll come collect you. Now sleep, you must be exhausted,” the woman said as she made her way to the door.

“Thank you,” Dahlia paused, “for not killing me…”

Idiotic.  _ Why do you have to be such a child at times _ , she thought to herself.

“I wouldn’t do that in a million years. Not to you, at least,” the woman smirked, the devilish expression made Dahlia wonder if this woman had really ever killed anyone. Right now it sure seemed like it.

“Oh.” Dahlia felt a new pang of fear, but with that came some courage. “W-what’s your name?”

“You can just call me Sister.”

“Okay, Sister.” Dahlia nodded slowly as the woman left the room and closed the door. An odd nickname to use, but she wouldn’t question it. She heard the door being locked from the outside as she made her way to sit on the edge of the bed. It was much more comfortable than it looked, and she eased her way even further onto it. But she didn’t let comfort distract her from the fact that she was most likely a hostage of some strange cult. Her mother had warned her about that, with the changes in the world and the rise of people being “too out of their minds and doing too many drugs.” She always brushed it off as her mother being too overbearing.

Dahlia curled up on the bed beneath the soft warm covers, not sure if she would rest at all in such a mysterious and ominous situation. She wondered about the woman, if she was behind everything that plagued her for the days after she saw her. It seemed the most plausible thought. But sleep would pull her in, taking away all her worries for the night. It was the most satisfying sleep that she had in quite a while. 


	2. The Way of Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dahlia is brought into a world of darkness, she finds herself fighting it before it can consume her whole. But things do not always go as planned...

After her dreamless slumber, Dahlia woke the next morning perplexed, almost forgetting what had happened the night before. There was a twinge of hope in her that maybe all of that was a dream but she was terribly wrong. 

The morning sun shone brightly through the windows and illuminated the room in its entirety. Dahlia laid in bed for a while as she took in the gothic beauty of the architecture and designs of everything in the room. If she hadn’t been some stranger’s captive she would have completely revelled in the fantastic sight. She would keep in mind to be expecting things to get even stranger because that seemed like the only logical thing to do about it all. And mostly because she had absolutely no idea what to expect next.

She didn’t know when the woman from the night before would show up, but she used the accommodations there to ready herself for whatever would be thrown her way. She dressed herself in a plain black dress which had been left for her at some point, she must have been fast asleep then. There was no mirror but she didn’t really need one, the dress fit perfectly. Too perfectly. 

Dahlia would wait in silence, her mind reeling with thoughts and worries of what would come next. She didn’t have a clue about what to expect because she was almost positive that she was going to be killed the night before. The young woman felt a sadness seep into her, wondering if she would ever get to see the world outside again. Whether she would ever get to walk through what beauty mother nature held. If she would breathe in any fresh air once more. If she would she anything outside of these cold, gloomy stone walls.

She didn’t know how long she had waited but it felt like forever. Finally there was a knock at the door, and Dahlia was pulled from her internal pit of sorrow and confusion.

“Hello, are you awake? Hopefully you are…” a familiar voice spoke, and added in a hushed tone, “you better be.”

“Yes, I am,” Dahlia replied, feeling nervous once more. She felt her heartbeat quicken, her fingers anxiously tapped out random patterns against her thighs.

The door was then opened and the blonde woman stood before her, a slight scowl on her face.

“Come on, we have things to discuss,” she said, reaching her hand out to Dahlia.

“Like what?” Dahlia quirked a brow, voice shaking though she tried to remain calm.

“You’ll find out.”

Dahlia had no choice but to go along with the woman as she was pulled up by her. She didn’t want to resist in fear of unknown consequences. Her fear grew even more and mixed with her confusion, leaving her the closest thing to a panicking mess she could get without showing it.

They walked through many corridors illuminated by the bright sun, wherever they were it felt like a maze to Dahlia. She wouldn’t be able to find a way out of there if her life depended on it. She tried to stop thinking of things that would make her more afraid, but she failed. It was taking hold of her and any delusions of hope that she had left we’re beginning to fade away.

Soon they reached an intricately carved wooden door, a golden, inverted cross decorating the middle of it all. Dahlia stood still for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise and shock. She felt a pull in her stomach, a tug on her heart, and a voice in her throat that wanted to escape. She didn’t have to be the brightest person to know the occult ties to such a simple symbol. And how dangerous those involved with such things could be. The fear of death or something worse completely filled her once more, threatening not to leave at all this time. The woman looked to Dahlia with a nonchalant expression as she pulled the door open and led her in. Once inside Dahlia stood frozen, a figure clad in white before her. Whoever it was had their back to them, appeared to be looking over something on the table that stood near them.

“Papa Nihil,” the woman spoke gently, “She’s here.”

“Sister Imperator, thank you,” the figure spoke in an oddly soothing voice.

The names they called each other were bizarre, no normal people would refer to each other in such abnormal sounding terms. And if anything that happened within the past week told her anything about them, they were the farthest from normal as they could possibly be. 

The figure slowly turned, it wasn’t until the last moment that Dahlia saw their face. Albeit, a face covered in paint that hid their features beneath the design of a skull.

The man before her locked eyes with the woman, who she now knew was formally called Sister Imperator. Even though it was only just a moment, it felt like time stopped. Dahlia had the feeling of invisibility, that she shouldn’t be in here with them. The air of the room felt palpable, as if full of  _ something  _ so strong it surrounded them like a thick fog. Dahlia would have left the room and the swelling feeling if she were able to. Finally, the man in white looked Dahlia’s way with his piercing stare.

“Dahlia, you’ve been brought here for a very special reason…” the man in white began, his eyes carefully looking over her, or  _ right through her. _ She stared into his eyes, one was a vibrant blue and the other chillingly pale that drew out the abysmal darkness of his pupil. It was inhuman, it was terrifying to be in his gaze, to say the least. His stare was almost violating to her soul, she felt as if she could not hide from his gaze in anyway. Her whole body felt as if it had been exposed to a winter wind, his effect on her was so numbing.

He wore a completely white suit, adorned with a single red rose within the pocket upon his chest. He was frightening yet held a certain charm. Everything about him seemed sinister, but Dahlia was almost looking through him as he was her. There was a sense of something more lying behind the wall of shadow and intimidation that he built around him. But she had to be delusional, none of this felt human and in taking part of it he certainly couldn’t possess any human emotion.  _ Could he? _ Life was really beginning to lose its feeling of reality and Dahlia stopped believing that anything would be normal ever again as long as she was trapped here. This could be no dream, it was an inescapable nightmare.

Sister Imperator slowly left the room and left Dahlia and the frightening man alone. She felt a need to cling to the other woman for safety, but she was unable to do so. She was still very confused about everything, and Sister Imperator oddly seemed to be the only symbol of clarity in it all. Even if maybe she too felt no human compassion, she still was more comforting than this man that stood before her.

“Special? What do you mean? What even is this place?” She was frantic, shaking where she stood. Dahlia didn’t ask to be taken from the safety of her life to be some part of some peculiar cult or whatever it was. And she certainly didn’t ask to be anything ‘special’ to them. A pulsing feeling was rising in her, taking hold of her entire being and trying to suffocate it. She wanted to run, but she knew she couldn’t. She wanted to cry, but she wouldn’t dare show weakness now.

“Let me explain,” the man stepped closer to her and Dahlia flinched instinctively as he raised his hand toward her. She felt the sensation of feeling weightless through her whole body when he gently placed his hand on her shoulder to guide her to a seat at the large table. She obliged, not like she had much of a choice, carefully going along with him and sitting in one of the tall chairs there before he would take his own seat across from her. There was a large part of her that feared that he might do something undesirable to her if she didn’t obey. She didn’t want to find out what he was capable of doing.

He mumbled something to himself under his breath, his actions would have been seen as a little awkward if she wasn’t still horribly afraid of him. She sat still, trying her hardest to hold back any emotions that might try to compromise what she had left of her composure.

“Shall I start at our beginning?” The man clasped his hands, with fingers that wore ornate rings, together upon the dark brown surface. He spun a frightening, yet intriguing tale of the long history of darkness of this so called church that they now sat in. Of how they devoted themselves to the ‘dark one,’ and they lived to spread his influence across the entire world. Woven into the tale were blood and dark magic, and even more things not of this mortal world. They had always been there, he said, lurking in the shadows that they called home. They were the opposition to what was considered an enlightened way, and they strived to always pursue the dark. They built themselves on blood in the name of sacrilege. 

They lived and breathed in the name of this one. He stated that his very own bloodline stretched back ages. From the beginning, or even before, the Catholic Church existed so did theirs. It was his duty, as the current leader of their church, to ensure that their future is possible. He was their ‘antipope,’ their Papa as he called himself. And it was his destiny from birth, as it was the destiny of those who he succeeded.

They bore true dedication to the ‘one below’ as he said. That could only mean one person,  _ right?  _ The one she didn’t even want to dare thinking about. She wasn’t Catholic, she wasn’t sure what she really believed in, but it still felt so terrifying to even give a thought to all of it. But within the fear grew a curiosity that she tried to quell. 

None of it seemed real at all, but a part of her mind wanted to believe it.

Maybe she was supposed to be even more scared at this point, but she found herself leaning in to listen to his calming voice tell her of this antithesis of everything that she was once told was good. Her mind didn’t argue, she was never one to conform, especially to the ways that were so heavily pushed on people. He made the dark occult history and ideals seem more welcoming than it should have been, based on what she previously knew about that subject.

She felt herself being hooked into this, maybe that was the point. To manipulate vulnerable individuals to taint them in some way. But the idea of them not harboring hate or distaste for simply celebrating and expressing oneself in ways that other organized beliefs would. Loving yourself, feeling things that were considered sinful, were not scorned here. Dahlia was all for people being allowed to live without guilt for doing things that humans were meant to, but some wished to paint those like that in a bad image so she kept quiet. But here, here she could belong. 

He still talked, getting a little distracted here and now as he digressed to some little offshooting story or details not far from the subject on which he was speaking. In listening to him, Dahlia realized he was more friendly, more welcoming than she had initially thought. Perhaps it was her mind playing tricks on her, but he didn’t seem to be such a terrible monster. She wasn’t expecting the man, who told her he was the leader of this dark place and carried its even darker history upon his shoulders, to feel so different than what he represented. It had to be a trick, this man was a monster...

“And you Dahlia,” he brought her attention back to earth from the wandering void in which her mind swirled at this moment. “We’ve kept a watch over you. We believe you are the perfect one to—“

The man searched his thoughts for a moment, if he hadn’t been wearing his skull paint dahlia would have been exposed to his blushing skin. He’d thank Satan that she wouldn't know he was feeling so awkward in doing this right now. He didn’t think he would have felt like this at all, it wasn’t something that was very easy to bring into conversation.

“Well, there’s no simple way to say this. The time has come to procreate an heir to this great, diabolic haven. We seek the one to bear the body and blood of the next generation of our teachings and traditions. To help bring the continuation of the bloodline of this church, my own bloodline… It seems that fate has led us to you to be the one to harbor this spawn of malice.” He said after a moment of thinking of the right way to put it, but there really wasn’t an easy way for him to say it. The subject was rather serious, yet mostly intrusive and revolting for the ears it fell upon.

Dahlia needed a moment to process what was said, making sure she clearly understood what he meant. All of her wonder and growing interest in this place fell to a halt.

“Do you mean what I think you mean? A child, right?” She said with her brows raised slightly in surprise before they would fall to furrow with disgust. Though she cowered in her place, fear was replaced with a repulsion. Her skin crawled, she felt as if she were being prodded by unseen hands. There was vile feeling in the air and even within her, caused by him. She didn’t even want to look him in the eyes.

_Why her? What was so special about her?_ _Were there not enough women here and willing to birth their next sinister spawn?_

She wanted freedom. They could offer that, or so he said. Or would they lie to her just to get her to oblige so they could use her and probably discard her  _ or worse _ ? Of course this place was all too good to be true. She wasn’t being treated as human, her only purpose here was to be used as a vessel for the unholy.

“You had me kidnapped, taken from the safety of my home, to ask me to do  _ that?”  _ Dahlia was rarely angry, but now she was fuming. Her small frame and soft voice being used in such an angry way might have been considered funny or adorable in any situation but the young woman was ready to gauge the eyes out of the man across from her. Her body burned with the heat of anger, melting any of the icy feelings he gave off. “What’s so hard about approaching someone like a normal human being and talking to them first?! Maybe treating them like a person rather than a pawn in your sick game would work better!”

“I’m not the only damn woman on this earth.” She stood up, fists clenched as she glared at him. Being singled out felt like an invasion, it was dreadful to feel so isolated in this.

“Who would say yes if a stranger said all of this upon a first meeting? Would you not even give them a second thought? I know you are fighting the thoughts now, and the conflict within you fuels what you feel right now!” He stood up, his frame towering over hers. For a second he grew much scarier and intimidating now that she let her guard down about him. His eyes offered no comfort now, no glints of friendliness lasted as he looked down on her. She took a deep breath, looking into his eyes as her own threatened to flood with tears, partially from her anger. She grew silent. It felt like he had read her mind. What was freedom without a price to pay?

“What you seek and beyond, we can give…” He finished before calling in Sister Imperator to take Dahlia away. Sister Imperator entered quietly, her face void of any emotion. He was stern as the two left, muttering something to himself. 

_ What you seek and beyond, what the hell is that supposed to mean,  _ Dahlia thought to herself. What more was she supposed to want than being a free soul? Were her own wishes clouded by her own lies buried deep within her mind? More importantly, did he see through that? 

“That was fun, wasn’t it?” Sister Imperator said as she locked arms with Dahlia, leading her to a different part of the monastery. Dahlia didn’t respond, not in the mood to joke or even talk at this point. She wished to be back in her room, to be allowed to cry in peace. This was overwhelming, and she couldn’t get her mind off of it. She still wanted to trust this woman, but knowing what she knew now she felt all hope was lost. They passed open arches that lead to a vast area of green with vibrant flowers blooming beautifully. The sight caught Dahlia’s attention, somewhere so somber holding such beauty seemed unreal. It brought another false sense of comfort. Dahlia knew it was still a garden belonging to those who planned diabolical schemes, but nature was nature and there was a feeling of calmness and even joy that it brought no matter who or what was around.

“He’s not usually like that, trust me,” Sister Imperator’s voice was calm as it made an attempt to ground Dahlia in her whirl of thoughts and emotions. Things would be more difficult for them all of Dahlia could not ground herself and ease her emotions.

The two paused for a moment as Sister Imperator looked to Dahlia, who stayed silent trying to come down from the heights of her anger. Sister Imperator sat them down at a stone bench facing the garden. Dahlia found herself staring into the lush green near them, eyes scanning the large garden that extended into a forest that seemed to have no end. In what she could see in the further parts of the garden stood various statues of ghastly creatures, some horned, some winged, some had both. She had to admit that there was a true allure to the place.

“He’s giving you a choice. The others before his leadership never had much of a choice. He’s not like his predecessors, he’s  _ different.”  _ Sister Imperator said as she observed Dahlia, finding herself with an unprecedented feeling to protect her. Sister Imperator was rarely so nice, most of the other sisters and even some of the clergy stayed away from her. Along with her habit for enchantment came a frigid cold. She wasn’t one to assume the role of a concerned friend, yet Dahlia’s presence changed that. Sister Imperator could watch the plight of absolutely anyone and not be changed, but seeing Dahlia upset invoked a different side of her that she wasn’t sure really existed until now.

“But why-why does it even need to be like this? Aren’t there different ways?” Dahlia asked after a moment of silence.

“Tradition, I suppose. But I don’t run this show, if i did a lot of things would probably break from that tradition.”

“You don't like it here?”

“Oh no, I do. I just think some things could use a little change sometimes. Keep it… interesting.”

“So what is it you actually do around here?” Dahlia looked up to Sister Imperator, eyes full of curiosity now that she calmed down.

“I’m a Sister of Sin. As a Catholic sister would serve their god,” she scoffed as she spoke about them before shifting to a more prideful mood, “I serve our Dark Lord. It's a lot more exciting here as you can imagine, and liberating.”

Dahlia nodded, thinking about the concept of a whole church that existed to be the complete opposite of the one that stood so strongly in society. It wasn’t completely unbelievable, obviously since she was in their company, it just seemed to be something that was a work of fantasy.

“And you, Dahlia, would be one of the most important people in this damned place, should you accept,” Imperator said with a sting in her tone, if Dahlia had been paying closer attention she would have surely felt it but she was too caught up in the wonderment of the whole place and its purpose. It still felt so unreal. She was finding her way back to the feeling of conflict, not knowing if she should feel welcomed by it all or if she should try to break free at her next chance.

“What if I don't—” she paused with a sigh, her gaze falling to the stone path before them, “—want that? I don't have much of a choice do I? I feel like I'm stuck making a decision that has already been made for me…”

“Well, there are others,” Sister Imperator shrugged a little, “but none exist in ways that we need them to, that’s what sets you apart. Something about you draws us to you. Just like something about us draws you to have conflict over deciding. Correct?”

Dahlia fell silent again, it was so odd to be so needed. She was never one to be sought after much like she was now. Even if it was something so ominous and disturbing, it still somehow felt nice to be a top choice for something that was apparently so important. They wouldn’t want her if it wasn’t such a vital role to them, right?

“It would be unwise for any of us to try and ignore or deny fate,” Sister Imperator added.

“It's just all so much, and so sudden. It feels like a dream, or a nightmare of some sort. No offense,” Dahlia said looking back to Sister Imperator.

“This place does have that effect…” Sister Imperator smiled cooly at Dahlia. The place also felt as if time had no rule there, as if the dark forces had its own agenda that did not abide by the laws of nature. Time slipped away, and life was carried on in a loose manner that truly felt like a form of liberation, or hallucination. Dahlia didn’t have the mind to discern that anymore.

“I have some things around I am supposed to show you, we should get going,” Sister Imperator said as she stood, carefully bringing Dahlia with her.

They were off, exploring the monastery which felt like a castle to Dahlia. The two women passed by a library large enough that it felt like it held every piece of literature imaginable. Sister Imperator called it the Infernal Library, and said it held vast knowledge on heaven, hell and everything in between. She said that texts that were hidden, banished, or even nearly destroyed found their home there. Then they passed an empty chapel and Dahlia was drawn into the empty place of worship. Sister Imperator let her indulge in her amazement.

Dahlia stood in the center aisle, admiring the beautiful stained glass windows and the other breathtaking views in the room. It was much like a traditional chapel, but everything maintained the hellish aesthetic. Instead of saints and a messiah and other holiness, serpents and horned creatures and devastation were depicted in the art. She should have felt dread, but all she felt was a longing to see more and more. Sister Imperator soon joined her in the chapel, watching with satisfaction as Dahlia looked around the place with wide eyes like a child filled with powerful curiosity.

“Beautiful, isn't it?” Imperator said as she tilted her head, continuing to watch Dahlia.

“Yes.. I didn't know something like this could be so incredible.”

After a few more moments, Sister Imperator guided Dahlia along to more places of interest, though many doors stayed closed and unspoken of. As they ventured more and more around the church and along with some of the usual parts of Sister Imperator’s day, Dahlia was being pulled further into their grasp even if she didn't realize it then. The two didn’t speak much, in fact Dahlia silently stayed by Sister Imperator’s side most of the time.

Later on their exploration, they passed by some members of the clergy as Sister Imperator had identified them. They greeted each other respectfully, keeping their eyes on Dahlia. Dahlia crept even little closer to Sister Imperator, feeling uncomfortable due to their lingering eyes.

“Don’t worry about them, having you here is a special occasion for everyone here.” Though at this moment she wasn't actually trying to coax Dahlia into giving herself to their unholy cause, Dahlia felt herself falling into the arms of their stygian sect. 

As the day began to turn to night they traversed the grounds and wings of the abbey more, passing by a myriad of corridors holding different rooms with closed doors. Some they visited, some Sister Imperator would not allow Dahlia to see and Dahlia didn't question that. If it were kept unspoken of for a reason, she wasn’t sure she wanted to see what dwelled behind the doors. As they continued they passed by more clergy and more of the sisters there, of whom gave either glares or smiles that appeared forced and hid their true feelings toward the pair, whether fear or disgust. Sister Imperator told Dahlia to pay no mind to them, due to most of them being jealous and the others just being plain scared of Sister Imperator. She didn't understand exactly why, but she didn't question it. She knew that at least she herself felt differently.

Soon they reached a much quieter grouping of hallways that seemed as if it should be bursting with life though it was completely devoid of any living souls. They looked a little different from all the others she had been shown. Sister Imperator directed her towards a room down one of the halls, then led her in and quietly shut the door.

“This is where you’ll be staying, for as long as you're with us. Make sure to get you rest tonight, tomorrow you will speak with Papa Nihil once more. And this time, don't make him mad.” Sister Imperator helped Dahlia get settled in, showing her the amenities and even clothing they had provided for her. They even provided a few books from their library to be used at Dahlia’s leisure, as Sister Imperator said. 

“Get your rest, hopefully tomorrow you will emerge with your decision. Wouldn’t like to see what would happen if you didn't make up your mind on time,” Imperator warned, she was ready to leave with one of her feet already out the door. She turned to Dahlia one last time, “Oh, and don't even think about escaping. The things that roam these grounds at night would cause too much harm to a lovely, little thing like you. We’re nearing a full moon, they tend to get quite… feral. Goodnight.”

After a wink, Sister Imperator left Dahlia alone. She hadn't been feeling too anxious, she hadn’t been feeling too bad at all, but those last words made her uneasiness awaken once more. She made a note to not think about it too much, she didn’t want to know what was out there.

Dahlia scanned the room, it was larger than where she was the night before and seemed a thousand times more comfortable. The decor was mostly in shades of red with gold accents. The bed was a lavish, four poster design with matching nightstands on either side that held antique lamps. It looked like the most comfortable thing Dahlia would ever sleep on. There wasn’t much else in there besides a dresser with a decorative vase sitting upon it, a matching desk, a beautiful upholstered chair, and large mirror framed in an intricate gold design. While there were no windows to the outside world, but she was content with the comfort of the room to not care much about that. She had her own bathroom filled with anything she would need, even the beauty products she used in her own home. She didn’t give much thought to it, she was just happy with the thought of staying in such a nice place. Dahlia was finding herself to be in love with the luxury she found here, it was one of the nicest rooms she had ever stayed in. Here, she didn’t feel imprisoned.

She prepared for sleep, changing into some of the nightwear that was left for her. Dahlia looked to a pendulum clock that decorated the wall, it was nearing midnight already. The fast moving day wore her out, but she only now realized how tired she was.

Upon her nightstand was a small stack of books. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the books into her lap. They all looked a little worn down by age, but were in good shape. The books all bore knowledge on Goetia and occult philosophies. As Dahlia got more comfortable on the bed she simply flipped through the pages, studying the illustrations while being too tired to focus on reading much of the text. They were beyond fascinating, keeping her full attention until she grew even more tired. She wanted to know more and more about them, as if the images in the books were calling her to join them in their infernal activities. 

Soon she would find herself slipping into sleep, images of infernal creatures and wicked practices floating through her mind. They wove incredible dreams. What she might have considered to be nightmares previously, these dark dreams surrounded her with hellish beasts and she felt nothing but joy and the urge to wander in the halls of those who were ungodly.

The next morning, she awoke with her decision made. Whether by falling under their spell, or by her own free will, she wasn’t sure. Dahlia didn’t think about that, she only thought about what a future here could bring if she welcomed the darkness and let it embrace her. She  _ would _ give herself to be a part of the plans of this unholy denomination. It was the way of fate.


	3. Into the Dark

Maybe it was because a cruel spell was placed upon her. Or maybe Dahlia’s intuition was right.

Maybe. Just  _ maybe. _

There was no use in thinking of that now, or even coming to a conclusion about anything that would make her back out. She was theirs, and by her own words she gave herself to them. 

From the moment she was brought to the place, she had reached the point of no return. If they didn’t give her the idea of a choice, they seemed like the type to just take what they wanted. Yet Dahlia wanted to keep a glimmer of positivity in her thoughts. 

_ They aren’t like that. Not everyone is a monster. _

But even so, she was still a näive young woman that happened to trust too easily, that foolishly tried to see the good in anything. It helped her morally. It kept her where she wanted to be, in a place where she never let bad things get to her. Where she once refused to succumb to the darkness of negativity, yet she now succumbed to a darkness of a different kind.

She was falling down a hole, spiraling into some unknown place with unknown people that always seemed to have hidden agendas.

The day started slowly, before it began to race past her. She lost track of everything, wondering if everything was all just some dream.

When she woke in the morning, there were no windows to welcome the warm gold sunlight into her room to caress her. She woke on her own, almost forgetting where she was just for a moment. Not everything came into focus at once. She laid upon the bed, which was still so terribly comfortable, and attempted to gather herself. 

After rubbing the sleep from her eyes Dahlia’s gaze found the clock, it was six in the morning. She was surprised she was awake so early.

She felt like she was in a haze, like whatever they had used on her before bringing her here was still in effect and strong as ever. Was  _ that  _ to blame for what she was doing? Her mind was fighting every thought that questioned her decision, trying to keep her from a responsibility of questioning her own actions.

She was young and not as wise as she could have been. Was she too eager to find some purpose somewhere? Was she just too nice to try and say no? Perhaps she didn’t really think everything through, but she certainly wasn’t doing that now. The matter of the subject was under the cover of something dark, beckoning her to it. Anyone wise enough would know better, but she still was too curious to turn away. 

She sat in silence for a while before finally getting out of bed to ready herself for the day. Dahlia searched through the dresser to find something she thought would be suitable. She changed into a white dress with a very intricate yet small pattern all over. She didn’t care much as it was pretty and presentable enough for her.

Soon there was a knock on the door, followed by a small, unfamiliar voice asking if they could enter. Dahlia was hesitant but answered with a “yes.”

A girl, dressed like a “normal” nun entered and was followed by a second girl. They introduced themselves as Sisters of Sin, telling Dahlia they would escort her today. She studied them, they couldn’t have been much older that her if they were even older at all. They were graceful and sweet, but their eyes seemed to hide dark intentions and purposes behind the kindness they fronted. They knew something Dahlia did not.

A meeting with the clergy, they said Dahlia was to attend. She was scared, a tight knot forming in her chest and in her stomach. She did not know much about them besides what they chose to tell her, they were still so mysterious and ominous. But there was no choice in this, and she didn’t want to anger anyone here.

Dahlia went with them through the abbey, she still was confused with the place. It held so much within its walls, giving a sense of fantasy as she walked through them. There were so many halls and so many rooms, too many things for her to want to explore. It would take some time to get familiar with, if she had the time. 

The sisters brought Dahlia to a closed door, opening it slightly.

“You must go in alone,” a sister quietly said. Both of them suddenly looked nervous, if anything, a little scared. So different from when she first saw them still just minutes ago.

Dahlia nodded as she opened the door further and ventured inside. She wondered if everything was always done in such serious and mysterious ways. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but she found it to be dramatic,  _ theatrical  _ even.

She was surprisingly met with a dark hall walled with stone. Lit sconces lined the walls at distant intervals. Dahlia turned back to the door to find it was already closed. She took a deep breath before slowly beginning down the hall. 

The idea of them trying to kill her at each step she took in these damned walls seemed like it was never going away. They were predators and all it seemed like prey was all she was. It was like a game, one that she wasn’t sure she liked playing.  _ But _ …  _ she didn’t think she wanted to try and stop it. _

She soon reached the end of the hall to find a spiral staircase that descended to depths unknown. She had no choice but to follow the stairs to the bottom. 

Upon reaching the bottom she was met with what seemed like a larger hall but there were less sconces here and she was unsure.

“This way,” a voice spoke from her left side. She paused before following. She was beyond accepting her fate, whatever it was meant to be. Nothing was really clear at this point.

Into the darkness she went, her hands reaching out slightly to make sure she didn’t run into anything. Her hand found another door and she pushed it open.

“Welcome,” the voice spoke again as she entered the room. Glowing candles filled the space, but there were not enough to make out all the details of the people that stood before her. It looked like a study or another library or something of the sort, but she couldn’t be sure with the darkness swallowing the details of most things in the room.

The people before her were cloaked in black, hoods covering their heads.They had no face, or at least the darkness made it seem that was the case. Three of them stood together, tall and still.

“Come, sit. We must talk.”

Dahlia obeyed, moving closer and taking a seat in a chair that was in front of them. It was soft and comfortable when she sat, it eased her some as she awaited their speech.

“I assume you already know why you are here. And I’m not going to repeat the things you’ve probably heard enough times since you’ve been brought here,” the middle figure looked down at her as he spoke. Then he sat across from her, the others following and sitting besides him.

“Do not be afraid. We are not going to hurt you. So as long as you are here, you are protected,” one of the others spoke.

“We respect your choice. And we know that this may all be strange. Our  _ traditions _ may seem very alarming, but we hope that you will trust us. You are the most valuable person to us, should things go as planned…” one of them said with no emotion behind. The lack of a coldness or even an intent to frighten made it worse somehow. Just as she was finding a comfort, she was knocked away from that point once more. If they continued this, she’d be a mess.

“Pardon me, if I may...” Dahlia spike softly, her heart began to beat rapidly.

“Go on, child.”

“I mean no disrespect but why take so many risks in finding someone for  _ this  _ if you aren’t sure they could be the one?”

“Because while we have our duty to find the best possible candidate, it is a test of heart and perseverance of the one that is chosen. And things have changed over our years of existence. They have become… more suitable for all parties involved.”

Dahlia nodded, not sure she understood but she found trust in the words spoken to her. These men of the dark clergy in front of her had a truly calming presence, no true deception even in their workings of their  _ evil  _ cause. They were too nice to feel truly evil, and made her question the true meanings of what was considered evil. It was almost as they  _ sensed  _ her unease and tried to relax her in ways that they assumed would be best for the situation.

“So when does this happen? What do I have to do besides…” she went red in the face, embarrassed to even bring up the subject of what would need to happen in order to fulfill their wishes. She was relieved that it was too dark for them to see the change in her face.

“Before we truly begin, you will be sent through the triad of trials. They will test our judgement. If you fail, we have failed. If you succeed, you are where you are meant to be,” one of the cloaked clergyman spoke.

Dahlia sat with brows raised, an expression of confusion resting upon her face.

“Trials? Nothing was said about trials…” as she spoke anxiety rose in her. Maybe everything was wrong, she surely wouldn’t pass anything. They were wrong about her. She was positive that anything they threw at her would result in her failure. 

She knew nothing besides the surface of the life and the goals of this church, anything that might be actually important to these trials would be away from her knowledge. Doubt was wrapping its arms around her, holding her in place as it whispered to her things that made her so deeply worried that things would go wrong.

“Our Papa has seemingly left out some information…” the clergyman sneered. Dahlia saw him make a motion that seemed like him shaking his head. She frowned. Was she feeling bad for him? She would have probably forgotten to say things in such a meeting like they had yesterday given if she were ever in a position like that. The topic wasn’t easy to talk about, she didn’t blame him for leaving a few things out. Maybe it was best that way. If he hadn’t she might have not made her decision so quickly, or not even made it at all.

And he wasn’t even here… Yet she thought he would be. Didn’t Sister Imperator tell her that? But something told her that even a man of his position was not free from scoldings. She assumed the clergy had good reason for him not being here. 

“You will face three trials. They are not easy, but if you endure you will prove us right. Then we will move on. Tomorrow you will face the first trial. We have faith in you, Dahlia.”

With that she was sent away, back the way she came. That was quicker than she thought it would be. She was surprised, and there seemed like so much going on. She didn’t even get a chance to ask what she would be doing. Dahlia wasn’t sure if it was better not knowing. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to sleep tonight not knowing what would happen the next day.

Dahlia found herself back at the door, opening it to find no one there. She wondered how long she was down there with the clergy.

She stood still next to the door, her mind filled with worry over her integrity. 

_ We have faith in you… _

She wanted to have faith in herself, but she felt so small and so weak. There was no way she could do what they needed there to. They were wrong about her, she was sure of it.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This story will be set in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, making it completely AU. As for lore, I try to fill in with creations of my own imagination. I hope to bring enjoyment and intrigue with what is to come.


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